Banana harvest hits record 317,000 tonnes

Farmers shift to high-yield varieties as crop outpaces mango in profitability

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan's banana harvest has surged to an unprecedented level, more than doubling in 15 years to reach a record 317,000 tonnes in 2024-25, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Official data available with Wealth Pakistan shows that banana output stood at just 139,000 tonnes in 2010-11, but steady growth – especially in the past five years – has made it the country's fastest-growing crop. The most dramatic leap came in 2021-22, when production jumped from 142,000 tonnes to 216,000 tonnes, an increase of more than 50 percent in a single year. Output then climbed to 292,000 tonnes in 2022-23, 311,000 tonnes in 2023-24, and touched the provisional record of 317,000 tonnes this season.

This rapid rise marks a major transformation in fruit farming, as growers shift towards bananas due to strong demand and better returns compared to traditional crops. Waheed Ahmed, Patron-in-Chief of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetables Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association, said the growth highlights the crop's export potential.

He noted, however, that Pakistan's share in the $14 billion global banana trade remains negligible, with exports worth just $27.4 million. He urged the creation of a full value chain model covering cultivation, processing, packaging, and distribution to reduce post-harvest losses, improve quality, and boost farmer incomes. He also called for large-scale corporate farms and modern pack houses to ensure premium quality bananas for international markets.

Junaid Haider Shah, a Sindh-based producer, exporter, and processor, highlighted the economic shift driven by new banana varieties. Farmers' per-acre income, previously Rs150,000 to Rs200,000 seven years ago, has now reached nearly Rs500,000. The new varieties are fungus-resistant, have longer shelf life, and are far more lucrative than older strains.

He said bananas are now more profitable than mangoes, with exports rising sharply.